UP FTŠ Turistica celebrates its 30th anniversary

The UP Faculty of Tourism Studies - Turistica celebrated its 30th anniversary on 30 January 2025 at the Faculty's premises. The exhibition "TURISTICA - 30 years of the past for the tourism of the future" was followed by a discussion on the role of education in shaping responsible tourism and a very important event, the establishment of the Partnership for the Promotion of Careers in Tourism with the signing of the manifesto "Tourism is an Opportunity!".

The exhibition commemorates the beginnings UP Faculty of Tourism Studies - Turistica, which dates back to 1995, when the first higher education institution for tourism in Slovenia was developed through the European Tempus project, and its development into a faculty and eventually a founding member of the University of Primorska, under the auspices of which 4000 graduates have successfully graduated.

In the discussion on the role of education in creating responsible tourism, the Dean of UP FTŠ Turistica was joined by Prof. Emil Juvan, Associate Prof. Fedja Pobegajlo (Tourist and Catering Chamber of Slovenia - TGZS), Ana SAVŠEK (Slovenian Tourist Organisation - STO), Patricija Furlan (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Section for Catering and Tourism), Mojca Polak (Higher School of Catering and Tourism, Maribor), and Marcel Bešter (Eurotas Hotels). They stressed the importance of bringing together educational institutions, the tourism industry and public policies, and especially measures to promote awareness in modern society of the importance and role of knowledge for the development of sustainable and innovative practices in tourism.

This was followed by the establishment of the Partnership for the Promotion of Careers in Tourism, which was marked by the signing of the manifesto "Tourism is an Opportunity!", which aims to encourage cooperation between stakeholders and to create an environment in which young people will recognise tourism as a promising sector for personal and career development. The dean of UP FTŠ Turistica assoc. prof. Emil Juvan stated: "Without competent staff who understand tourism and know how to develop it, the added value of investments in infrastructure and technology will not materialise. The founding members of the Partnership for the Promotion of Careers in Tourism are aware of these challenges and will work together to raise the profile of the tourism profession and to ensure that our actions provide quality staff to realise the strategic directions of tourism development."

With the opening event, UP FTŠ Turistica symbolically launched its jubilee year, which will be rich in professional events, discussions and projects aimed at strengthening tourism as a professional field and an economic sector that creates new opportunities for the future. The 30 years of Turistica will include an international exhibition on travel and space on 19 March 2025, a jubilee graduation ceremony with a tourism poster exhibition on 9 April 2025, a Turistica Day and "Turistica to Tourism" conference on 21 May, and an international forum on cycling tourism on 4 June 2025. In June there will be an alumni reunion and in October a gala academy of UP FTŠ Turistica.